The Last Village
by Everdred
Summary: Exhausted from their journey, the heroes of Dragon Quest VIII stumble upon a village unlike any they've encountered before.


'The Last Village' 

The group of travelers was journeying down a road towards a large mountain in the distance. They hadn't seen a sign of other people for weeks, and they're running short on supplies. However, upon reaching the top of a nearby hill, they spotted an alternate route which traveled straight downhill to what looked like a village surrounded by a forest. Eager to take a short break from their journey, they made their way down the path through a small woods. Along the way they encountered a sign.

"What's it say?" asked the exhausted king.

The hero brushed aside a group of branches to expose the sign. On it, a single crude carving of a Slime, complete with vacant smile and stare.

"Some sort of Slime forest? Well, it could be much worse..." The king swatted his staff at the sign and chuckled a little. The group continued onward down the increasingly narrow path. Not long after the first sign was out of sight that they encountered another one.

"The same thing!" Jessica proclaimed, though they all felt that something was a bit different about this one. It looked the same, but the feeling it invoked was different.

Down the path another sign appeared. This time, they knew something was different. The stare, though in appearance the same as the others, pierced all of their minds in a way no Slime had ever done. Something about the Slime in the carving felt determined. The king picked up his staff with both hands. "I get the feeling these aren't ordinary Slimes we're dealing with."

The group proceeded with caution down the path, not encountering any more signs until they reached the village. However, upon looking around they noticed some things were quite odd about it.

"Where is everybody?" Jessica asked. "Do you think somehow the Slimes got them?"

"Impossible! Anyone with a broom could take care of a Slime..." Angelo responded. "Besides, we didn't even see any back there! If anything, we're dealing with something that took out the Slimes AND the people!"

As Jessica and Angelo debated as to what may have happened to the village and the Slimes, Yangus walked towards one of the houses, then turned back surprised. "Wait...these doors... they're REALLY tiny!"

Just then a mushy sound echoed from behind the travelers. They turned around to find a wall of Slimes marching towards them, all with a blank but determined stare. The Slimes enveloped them before they could draw their weapons, and they were all bounded by rope and carried towards the center of the village. Once they were all back on their feet, they were turned towards a larger, raised hut with a platform in front of the door. Out of the opening came a large, grayish-blue Slime. About the size of a King Slime, it lacked the usual crown but sported a flowing green beard. Once out on the platform, the large Slime stopped, as did every other Slime. There they stayed, with their empty stares and meaningless smiles, for what seemed like hours. Suddenly Yangus spoke up. "Hey, can you tell us what's going on here! What'd we do wrong?" The Slime's leader shot him a stare that seemed to paralyze him, then slowly bounced off the platform and behind its hut. The other Slimes followed, with the bounded travelers in tow. Behind the hut lay a series of gallows. Upon reaching the gallows, the leader turned around and bounced once at about the height of the menacing structures. The other Slimes began bouncing and squishing around frantically.

"No no no no no! We didn't do anything wrong! We don't deserve this! We..." Jessica tried to explain and wiggle free, then a small Slime jumped into her mouth to gag her. Her face turned green and she sat quickly down.

The hero shot the leader Slime an angry glance but was quickly brought to the ground by a large group of Slimes jumping on his back. Upon lifting his face from the dirt, he saw the Slimes first leading King Trode towards the nooses. Before reaching the gallows, they suddenly stopped and placed the king down. The Slime's leader bounced towards the king and they started at each other for a few minutes. The Slime's leader then turned to the mass of Slimes and bounced once slightly in the air. At once the Slimes began untying the ropes on the captives.

"Can someone please explain to me what just happened?" Angelo questioned, brushing bits of slime off of his chest.

A group of Slimes slopped into a nearby hut, then came out with a picture of King Trode's ruined castle. They placed it on the ground for all of the non-Slimes to see.

"I guess they know what happened," Yangus stated, looking towards the king. The king continued to stare at the leader Slime. "Trode?"

"They do..." the king mumbled. He finally broke off his stare at the leader and turned to the others. "I think he just sent me a telepathic message. These Slimes once lived in a different, larger village not far from here. They had lived at that place for thousands of years. However, people came and attacked the Slimes, thinking they were a threat. Those that survived escaped to this forest to live in isolation, away from people."

"So, I guess they relate to how you were forced out of your castle, huh?" Jessica said, wiping bits of slime off of her face.

"That's my best guess. C'mon, we should leave. Just let them live in their peaceful seclusion."

The people turned to exit the village when a pink Slime blocked them off. Upon its head was a map.

"Hmmm..." Angelo picked the map up off the Slime. "Looks like there's a village at the foot of the mountain in the edge of a nearby cliff. We can head over there and get ready for the trek up. Thanks, little guy..." Angelo began to place the map back on the Slime when it jumped up a kissed Angelo on the cheek. "Gah! Ohhh...I'm gonna be sick..." Angelo slumped to the ground and began shivering. The pink Slime turned red with embarrassment, bounced around Angelo a few times, then headed back towards its kind. It then turned around and stared at Angelo.

The others laughed at Angelo's new admirer, helped him up off the ground, then started back into the woods, still exhausted from their long journey (and somewhat sickened from the heavy concentration of slime), but relieved that things had turned out right this time.


End file.
